Job Opportunities at The World Food Programme (WFP)

JOB PURPOSE

To generate and/or contribute to the VAM evidence base that supports food security and nutrition policies and programmes (e.g. needs assessment and situation analyses, programme design, targeting, cost effectiveness, and operational efficiency).

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

1. Provide technical advice and support WFP and its partners on matters pertaining to food security and nutrition strategies, policies, programmes, and facilitate the timely and productive use of related outputs in a manner that complies with WFP standards and processes.

2. Contribute to the development of systems and tools for the monitoring and assessment of food assistance needs in line with innovative methodologies and best practice.

3. Manage and/or conduct food security, nutrition, markets and resilience analysis and prepare timely reports on food assessment needs in line with wider VAM policies, processes and guidance to enable effective decision-making on the development of country strategy, policies and programmes.

4. Keep up to date with and advise on food assistance developments and issues and the potential impact upon WFP activity to enable timely and appropriate programme evolution and intervention.

5. Contribute to the development of programme activities, providing technical analysis, interpretation and recommendations to facilitate food assistance needs to be met effectively.

6. Provide coaching and guidance to VAM staff as required to ensure appropriate development and enable high performance.

7. Support the monitoring and evaluation of WFP activities, providing technical analysis, interpretation and information as required to support the assessment of activity impact.

8. Represent WFP during meetings with partners to contribute to technical discussions, exchange of knowledge and experience, and seek for appropriate interventions (based on an evidence base), and areas for potential collaboration.

9. Build capacity of WFP staff, partners and national government to conduct analysis on food security, nutrition, markets, resilience, and related topics to effectively inform policies and programmes.

10. Provide support to relevant partners that are focusing on food security and nutrition to enable sharing of experience, lessons learned and best practice.

11. Act in an assigned emergency response capacity as required to meet emergency food assistance needs.

12. Other as required.

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Support the RBN Programme Unit by assisting COs in conducting food security assessments and surveys, including the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analyses. Given his knowledge of the (IPC) and secondary data analysis, the consultant will contribute to ensuring support and guidance to COs on the IPC methodology as it evolves.
• Contribute to the development of the resilience agenda and associated partnerships at the regional level, in close collaboration with other colleagues within the Expanded Programme Group of RBN. The consultant will provide technical skills that are required to support the design and implementation of the RBN regional and country-led strategies and programmes;
• Contribute to the Regional Bureau’s active engagement within the relevant working groups at the regional level, such as the Food Security and Nutrition Working Group (FSNWG) and related sub-groups;
• Contribute to and report on the implementation of the on-going Transition Opportunity Fund project, being undertaken in close collaboration with UNICEF;
• Provide other food security analytic and technical assistance as may be requested by the Regional VAM Officer to support RB roles and responsibilities in areas such as vulnerability analysis, assessments and related food security initiatives;
• Assist country offices in the design and planning of food security assessments;
• Design and conduct on-the-job training for participants in assessment missions;
• Lead and/or participate in assessment missions, as required;
• Sharing food security and nutrition information within the regional office and maintain data bases and information systems for the regional VAM.
• Support analytical synthesis on regional patterns of food security and vulnerability by integrating CO vulnerability analysis and food security monitoring updates with other sources of data and information and understanding linkages between Countries.
• Support CO’s in the analytical work of the UN Country Teams and provide inputs on food security/vulnerability related components of the UN Common Country Assessments (CCA), United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAF) and Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS);

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Key Accountabilities (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority): Working in the Programme Unit, under the direct supervision of the Project Cycle Manager, the Programme Policy Officer (Country Strategic Plans) will be responsible for the following duties:

• Contribute towards the development of Country Strategic Plans, ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.
• Engage in cross-functional discussions required to operationalize the new approach, in particular with the budgetary, resource mobilization and monitoring and evaluation functions.
• Provide project management support to specific and defined programmes and projects of considerable size/complexity, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures.
• Develop and coordinate data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
• Research and analyze a range of policy and operational issues to inform the development of policies, programmes and activities.
• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on programmes and activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
• Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects and highlight potential risks to project delivery.
• Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved food assistance packages.
• Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs, e.g. through providing inputs into training materials.
• Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with analysis and queries.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Expected Results

Country offices in the region are supported to design and manage programmes that effectively meet food assistance and nutrition needs and in line with national vision and priorities.Planning processes and timelines are effectively managed to ensure harmonization with national agendas and other UN planning timeframes as well as with internal corporate deadlines and targets.Ensure timely and well managed projects, programmes and/or operations

Education: Advanced university degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other fields relevant to International Development assistance, or first degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Qualifications and Experience

Experience: At least three or more years of post-graduate professional with increasing responsibility in school meals in a bilateral, multilateral or non-governmental organization. Proven capacity to conduct policy analysis and to successfully engage in policy dialogue. Demonstrated effectiveness in bringing global strategies into regional/country context. Proven experience in building synergies among projects and regions.

Knowledge and skills:

• Good analytical skills, resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgement, tact, negotiating skills.
• Demonstrates ability to incorporate technical information into policy and strategy formulation and into programme design and implementation, and to appropriately communicate it internally and externally;
• Ability to translate policy and programme principles into relevant, effective and context specific approaches.
• Experience working in a multi-donor environment.
• Ability to work in a team and establish effective working relations with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• High capacity for organization and coordination, as well as an ability to work with a high degree of independence in a team environment.
• Fluent English, written and oral, excellent public speaking and presentation skills.
• Excellent computer skills in MS Outlook, Word, Excel and Power point.
• A willingness to travel frequently, often to remote areas.
• Flexibility in accepting work assignments outside normal desk description.